WALNUT CREEK — As happens every year in early January here, top comedians generate laughs and celebrity musicians belt out pop, country and other songs — and they all do it for the dogs (and cats) at Tony La Russa”s Animal Rescue Foundation.

“Comedy Night” and “Stars to the Rescue,” back-to-back jamborees happening Dec. 9 and 10 respectively at downtown”s Lesher Center for the Arts, will channel 87 cents of every dollar raised directly into ARF”s programs.

The nonprofit animal welfare organization was created in 1991 by MLB Hall of Famer La Russa and his wife Elaine. Its creation inspired by a single cat”s terror on a baseball field, ARF in 2015 sports a broad platform of programs to save dogs and cats who”ve run out of time at public shelters.

Twenty-four years after its humble beginnings, ARF operates out of a 37,700-square-foot headquarters building in Walnut Creek. It receives more than 100 calls for help each day and has set ambitious goals for 2015.

“We”re hoping to reach 2,500 adoptions this year and are currently on track,” said Executive Director Elena Bicker. “We”ve neared our 30,000 adopted animals milestone and believe it will be performed during the weekend of Stars to the Rescue in Walnut Creek.”

And that”s not all — Bicker said ARF will soon launch a new website introducing easier navigation and showcasing ARF”s animals and its People Connect programs. The PC training programs bring interactive educational activities to classrooms, community service and youth centers, camps, hospitals and other locations.

In 2015, a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System will expand ARF”s service to military veterans; “Pets for Vets” will pair veterans with fee-waived adoptive animals selected and specially trained to provide therapeutic emotional health benefits. Matched to each recipient”s lifestyle, free pet food, veterinary care and ongoing support services will insure the ongoing success of the carefully curated veteran-animal matches.

Bicker said ARF”s social media tools are increasingly useful for communicating new programs like “Pets for Vets” and the special needs of individual animals. An expanded presence on Facebook and support from Oakland-based TV station KTVU recently secured a $6,000 surgery for Kix, a 2-year-old female German shepherd who lay in a county facility for a week with a broken front left leg.

“She is now available for adoption, and it is our hope that she will go home this holiday season,” Bicker said.

Although La Russa”s new position as chief baseball officer with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Elaine”s passion for giving forgotten animals a new chance at health, happiness and a family through ARF and beyond often take them out of town, Bicker has said it”s the one time she”s certain to see ARF”s founders.

” ”Stars” continues to be one of Tony”s favorite events,” she said.

With Season 5 American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, singer/songwriters Jonathan Singleton and Jim Beavers, Santana Band drummer Karl Perazzo, Emmy award-winning dancer and choreographer Yaelisa”s Caminos Flamencos troupe and more scheduled for “Stars,” Bicker says the lineup has been in place for months.

Not so the comedy night, which flings itself together last minute — and has snared comedians like Dana Carvey and the late Robin Williams with its seat-of-the-pants scheduling. Under the steady watch of Bay Area comedian and host Mark Pitta, the evening of laughs miraculously avoids becoming a last-minute scramble.

“I tend to go after comics who have pets and/or are fans of baseball,” Pitta wrote in an email. “If we can get him a late flight, Brian Kiely (head monologue writer for Conan O”Brien) wants to do it.”

Pitta said he writes jokes that have a long shelf life, but if there”s a really current event, he”ll use it. Striking his customary sophisticated funny/serious note when asked for an example of how current events impact his approach, he said, “I”m not going to book Bill Cosby.”

But he might share his favorite pet story.

“When I lived in L.A., there was the Northridge earthquake and my dog sensed it 30 seconds before it happened,” he said. “He started putting new batteries in the flashlight and stood in a door frame.”

Bicker said ARF hopes to raise $300,000 toward operational support including rescue efforts, medical care, and day-to-day treatment for the animals.

ARF BENEFIT EVENTS

Tickets for Comedy Night Jan. 9 and ”Stars to the Rescue” Jan. 10 are available by calling 925-943-SHOW. they also may be ordered online at www.lesherartscenter.org